Clarity,
Office 17622,
PO Box 6945,
London.
W1A 6US
United Kingdom
Phone/ Voicemail:
+44 (0)20 3287 3053 (UK)
+1 (561) 459-4758 (US).
María:
Nice punishment!
But I don't trust in Zeus motives, seeing how he behaved, I believe that he created the woman for his own profit.
Yours,
Charly
And a damn fine job he did of it too!
Could it be like this:
Xiang when you give to the gods – and receive from them - because you need their support. When you are in trouble it is good to give (yourself or from yourself) to the gods and trust in them.
Heng when you give from your riches, grateful, or for the simple fact that you are alive. Seeing the gods as part, cause or background of that life. It is good to share with the gods. Heng happens all through life, even little children can participate in heng and feel it, but xiang is for special moments.
For heng you put on your best clothes and take the whole family to the service. For xiang you are alone.
Going back to some of the African religions based on Yoruba traditions, just as a reference, the belief is, as I understand it, that there must be reciprocity between the querent and the different Orishas. We come to them for help and advise and we must give something in return, not as "payment" per se but as way to keep some sort of cosmological "balance."
The message within the popular adage, "there are no free lunches," is very much a living tradition in many cultures. I believe this is also the case of ancient Chinese traditions.
Luis, I'm sorry you got the impression I was ignoring or disagreeing with you. In fact, we are headed in the same direction - only you got there first. Last month I took two books on Santeria out of our public library. I was trying to imagine what it would be like to be a polytheist, a believer in many gods, all involved in daily life. The only living examples I could think of were African religions. I really think they are closer to the old world of the Yi than any of us died-in-the-wool monotheists can imagine. In my opinion, you are absolutely right to think of them, and I hope someday someone will explore the connection more closely.
Lindsay
I was trying to imagine what it would be like to be a polytheist, a believer in many gods, all involved in daily life. The only living examples I could think of were African religions. I really think they are closer to the old world of the Yi than any of us died-in-the-wool monotheists can imagine. Lindsay
So ‘knowing’ how it works with sacrifices is part of the mind, and not only of a specific tradition.
LiSe
What got me going on this line of thinking was a novel by William Gibson, in which one of main characters grew up in the Santeria tradition in Cuba. For this character, the gods were part of daily life. A slight breeze indicated the presence of one god, a chill down the neck the arrival of another. When the character ran, a god ran with him and gave him speed. When the character met other other people, he looked for the god in their eyes. People sometimes spoke with the voice of a god, unaware of what they were saying. Sometimes, as he walked down the streets, he could actually see a god following him on the fringes of his field of vision. Gods guided him in dreams, both in sleep and awake. They gave him insights and information. Visions. Etc.
Lindsay
[Has anyone marveled lately at your amazing range of knowledge, Luis? You are an international force to be reckoned with. You amaze me constantly.]
Lindsay
"Has anyone marveled lately at your amazing range of knowledge, Luis? "
I did!
The character Yi, name of our unending source of discussions, insights, disagreements and whatever, is the name of an ancient sacrifice, to implore the gods to change the weather. Usually the reason I consult it is indeed searching for ways to change the weather. Or to find out what kind of weather I have to deal with.
It seems many hexagrams also are names of sacrifices, but I could not find out for what.
LiSe
Being scared is one of the fundamental issues of the ancient world and rituals and sacrifices were parts of their logical reaction to their general fearfulness.
In the modern world we retreat into a belief our specialists (religious, academic and math/science) have the answers for us, so we don't have to notice how scary things can be in everyday life.
Was the Yi originally composed as a divination resource? Or was its use as such what made it so popular that it was kept in print as it were? I think it is originally a work of philosophy and science--the explication of the cycle of possible observed development in the most abstract and refined graphical symbolism possible. Divination was what general folks cared about and the Yi could be used for better divination than tortoise shells so it was adapted in the commentary to what folks needed from text explanation.
The name of this character is . . . oops, sorry, my wife is calling me to breakfast. Have a nice week!
Lindsay
Clarity,
Office 17622,
PO Box 6945,
London.
W1A 6US
United Kingdom
Phone/ Voicemail:
+44 (0)20 3287 3053 (UK)
+1 (561) 459-4758 (US).